Colonization resistance is the ability of the commensal microbiota to prevent invasion by entheric pathogens. This ability can be compromised when patients take antibiotics – a fact that was known for many antibiotics. However, the mechanisms by which colonization resistance works and why antibiotics compromise that resistance remains poorly understood.
In a paper that just came out today, we report n a significant step forward in understanding how the human gut microbiota protects against Clostridium difficile, an important human pathogen and problem specifically for hospitalized patients. The work was carried out in the Pamer lab. With Vanni Bucci and Richard Stein we analysed mouse and patient time series data to infer network models using the Lotka-Volterra method published last year.